New Life Games Tech Forums

Here's my plan...  If you look at my profile you will see that I have two slots shoved in the corner of my pool room.  This has been bothering me since I put them in.  The trouble is I am deathly afraid that someone will crack their stick in to the glass and shatter it.   :81-

I also have a piggy dotmation that is in my living room.  After about 2 weeks of work I finally cleared out the hallway to make room for this.  I'm planning on putting my slots along this wall as an entrance to my game room.    I got the idea of a counter top from someone here.  I hope it comes out good.  The only trouble is this counter is 10' long and about half way down the hallway gets about 50' wide.  It's going to be tight but I don't know what else to do.

 :103-

more..

Well I am going to break the cardinal rule of this forum against flaming...... :72-

First off why are you posting in the wrong section.... this should be under the classified section under the heading WTB

I am glad that you got the idea of the counter top from some one here..........
...... however don't just be a dumb ass and complain that the length of counter is too long

The answer is so clearly obvious...... BUY MORE SLOTS  :72-

Why are you wasting post space .... Where hell is your wishlist ??

(yes this post is in jest.....)

Oh no no I made a horrible mistake.... the hallway shrinks down to 50 INCHES wide... I had feet in my post.  I'll fill it up  :79-


Someone got me going on a Reel Touch machine.    I think they may be impossible to find though.  :37-

I think for 10 ' I can only fit 4 slots right... ?

Maybe 5 .. If it were only 1 foot longer

You can get away with 24" spacing. Its not casino width but you should be able to fit 5. The glass is typically 19" wide + slot arm.
One dude on the old forum had removed all his slot arms so he could squeeze 1 more into some nook he had. He didn't post much. I just remember him asking the question - If I remove the arm will the slot still work.

Jonathan,

My opinion is that the hall is not going to be wide enough.  No seating and standing room only will be the result.  It will also be impossible for someone to get from one end to the hallway to another, lets say when you have some friends over, and you have one person in front of every machine, without everybody moving.  And, how can anyone enjoy the beauty of your machines from a side view angle?  Let's do and experiment that will require no physical effort on my part...  :5- ... let's roll a machine over there, stand a person in front of it, and take a picture again...let's see what you think at that point.  Can you post the pic when you are done?

Jim

I guess I would have to coattail Jim.
I would be concerned of the amount of space...not only to Jim's concern
but also to the players concern in that you would feel 'closed in' when sitting
at machines in such a tight space...better to knock the wall out if it is not
load bearing or open it to the load bearing posts if it is.  :103-
...my 2-cents

Obviously your pool table has to go.  :97- :97-
Seriously that hallway will be very tight. And maybe a bit warm too with all machines on.
I have the same problem in my current rental house, no room for more slots!  :8-

JD  I'm the last person you would want to design a game room. But I have a idea, I don't know if it will work or if it's been try ed!  I can understand you want all your machines facing out .But what if you placed your machines or  regular slot stands, that had heavy duty caster wheels.  when you have people over to play them, looks like you could place two machines side by side at the end of the hall and turn the other two a 1/4 turn back to back.  Now my never seeing your hall would you have room??  I did have one more idea something along the lines of double decking your machines, inviting short women, tall men, and instructing the femail to never turn around when top machine was being played!!  X rated game room. 

I like the X-Rated idea! 

There are a couple of constants  -  The pool table has to stay.  Far more of my family and friends play pool when we get together than slots.   I am most concerned about what Jim said and I won't be able to enjoy the beauty of the machines.    95% of the time it is just my wife and me playing with ourselves.

Here is the layout for the pool room.  I have to take the dimensions of the rest of the basement. 

Jonathan,

What is behind the wall of the bar?

Jim

It's a foundation wall from the original house.  So that wall is 12" thick concrete -  man it took a long time to drill through to put the sink in.

I"ll take the measurements tonight so it fills in the rest.  To answer your question though - on the other side of the foundation wall there is a bathroom (off the hallway) and a washer/dryer.

I'm having a hard time seeing how your theater fits into this equation....can you give us a sketch of your complete basement.

I have an idea of how to get this to work...but I need to see everything...sorry to be a pain.

Jim

Oh its no problem at all and thank you so much for the help.  I have to run out now I'll post the rest when I get back.

Since the root cause is a concern for the glass there are places that will etch stainless steel with whatever pattern you want.
Just change out the glass to etched steel and the problem is solved.

I made this from my iPhone... It may help?? I sound like a doof though.. sorry

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaPm4GwyXfw (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaPm4GwyXfw)


It should process soon i guess?

:72- :72- :72- :72- :5-

First, I'm also no designer, so my suggestions may not be that useful..

If you don't want to knock out walls, I'm leaning towards Buzz's idea of putting the machines back-to-back in pairs. That way, people playing will be standing in the niches between the slots and the rest of the hallway will remain free. It's hard to tell exactly how wide your hallway is. The diagram would seem to indicate 18", but that can't be right. :103-

The slots would take up about 20" when facing out (not including human space) and about 26"-27" when facing sideways with 2-3" of space between the handle and the wall for the slots with handles on that side. Each pair of slots would need about 8 feet, so you should be able to put in 4 slots (if that bench is 10ft long -- I see plenty of extra room on either end.) Is that a closet in the corner at 1:03 in the video (to the left of the bench)? Could that be removed to gain extra length?

Just a thought. Jim will no doubt have better ideas. :89-

Stat - the only thing that would drive me nuts with having the slots back to back is I don't have the same top of slots.  One is 9" the other is 16" and that would put me into an OCD fit. 

I don't know where that 18" came from but the width of the hallway is 50".  Here is my scratch for the measurements.  I have to throw them in my design program later.   

I think what I have to do is stick with Jim's first comment and put a machine there and see what it looks like. 

Jonathan,

Thanks for the video...huge help.  

Just my opinion....

The back to back idea down the hall might work, however, I feel it would still "feel" tight especially when you consider the height of the machines on bases and only 26" of hall space remaining.  And once done...good luck moving something in an out of the billiards room once this is done.

The party / billiards room is really perfect as is.  The walk up bar is a great use of space.  Big screen projection is great for the games...etc.  I really wouldn't change or force anything more into that area.  You make a good point about you fear of a pool cue hitting the machines glass.  And what about a flying cue ball?  Given today's rarity of glass, you really need to do something to get the machines out of that area.  Finally, as the wall between the bar and bathroom / laundry is masonry and you have all the plumbing stacks there....there is no sense in try to change that around.  The bathroom centrally located is also good functionally as is and expensive to move.

Consider presentation.  As it is, when you bring guests to your home for party night, you are walking them down the stairs right into stacks of storage...  :72- stacks of it.  Then you file them down a hall with nothing really going except the smell of fresh grass from your clubs, hope no one trips over them, and a view through to an open door to a bathroom until they finally make it to the party room.  

Often times, the journey to the destination is just as important as the destination itself.

If it were me, this is how I would go:

1)  I can see storage space is an issue and takes precedence.  Spring cleaning time first before you do any thing else.  Go through everything you do not really need and have a garage sale.  Results might buy you a new machine.  Golf clubs belong in the trunk of your car, in the garage, or under the bed.  I also would like to ask the question....the exercise equipment you have...is this "exercise on display" or is it actually used at least once a week?  I can't tell you how many clients I have that I built an exercise room for and the only exercise that goes on in that room is vacuuming the floor and dusting things off once a week.  Make better use of the high storage area above the washer dryer with some extra shelves and long term storage up high.  Lower the existing shelf 6 inches and add a shelf.  You have a lot of closets, go through them and make sure you really need what you have on those shelves.  Do I need to call the pack rat nanny?

2)  Consider eliminating the extra fridge you have to the right of the stairs.  You have a bar fridge already and that is a more than enough for most.  You are not having huge parties here of more than 10 because of space...so you really do not need it.  In it's place construct a new closet for storage, or even better, consider a low cabinet base storage only.  This keeps the feeling open as you walk down the stairs and look to the right...it also suggests direction to the destination.  With the energy you save getting rid of that fridge over a two year period you can buy another machine.

3)  In the hall that leads to the party room, consider some wall art and some things of interest.  And I am not talking about paintings here, you can't appreciate paintings on that wall, I am talking about something that projects out from the wall.  Maybe put a exit sign that projects out and points to the bathroom...that might be fun....just keeping with the flavor of your party room.

You might also consider a 7 to 8 foot wide area of 12" deep storage cabinets about midway of that hall.  At Home Depot you can buy some economical unfinished wall cabinets, 12" deep by up to 42" high.  Double stack them for some good shallow depth, concealed storage in that hall.  Another good trick...contact a local kitchen cabinet supplier and ask them if they have any big kitchen jobs where they are tearing out the old cabinets and replacing....often times those cabinets into up in a dumpster...and they might be great with a coat of paint.  Either way, you will still have 38" of hall width for circulation which is a minimum for me, but fine.  This element adds some visual interest and breaks up the seemingly long walk to the party room.

4)  When this is done, I would expect that the stacks of storage at the bottom of your stairs (all 12 feet of it at least) is now moved and restored somewhere else.  Results are that you have a free wall now with good depth for at least 6 machines across that wall.  

And best of all, now when you have guests over, as they walk down the stairs on the way to your party room, they get to see your machines on display as they should be seen, front on.  As you said, mostly it is just you and your wife enjoying the machines, so make them part of the journey rather than stuffing them in the room that is the destination.  You do not have to have a stool in front of every machine, keep the space open at the bottom of the stair and clear the circulation to the party room.  Just keep a couple of loose stools to the left in the exercise area that you can slide around.

Hope this helps.

Jim

One option might be to move the slots to where the movie screen is.
You would then get a electric screen that goes up/down at the push of a remote and move that about 1ft in front of the slots.
Screen comes down when you want to watch, goes up when you want to play.

Check out www.monoprice.com for the electric screens. Not that expensive.

I would move all the movie stuff into the wife's room. (She could watch the screen, when she works out as well)
Then I would move the machines to the sofa wall or move the pool table towards the sofa wall and put the machines on that long 14'2" wall. If you want to watch the game in that room, when people come over, a nice flat screen would fit great on that 19' wall.

Looks like there is room in the wife's room, just push her stuff towards the back...

The real questions are: Does she actually use the exercise equipment? Can you sweet-talk her into changing the room?

She does Stat -  I mentioned Jim's suggestion about putting the machines along the wall with all the crap in storage and got my head handed to me.   "This is my side... bla bla bla" It got worse from there. lol  But by the time I left for work she was measuring so there may be some light at the end of the tunnel.

To start with Jim's suggestion he is right.  - all the crap has to go.  It is messy cluttered and disgusting.    I'm going to start by cleaning everything out then putting down the floor and take a fresh look without the mess.  

There is no rush ... until someone finds me a reel touch....   :96-

Oops sorry...I forgot to mention, women by nature are very territorial, especially when it comes to storage.  Add this to my list:

5)  Before even mentioning moving machines to the location at the bottom of the stairs to your wife, you should first offer several things in return.  The best approach is to say something like "honey, (say honey or sweety...this is important), aren't you getting sick of seeing all the scattered storage in our finished basement, we spend so much time down here, especially you, I would really like to clean this up for you.  First I am going to do some spring cleaning and see how much space we really have in our closets.  Then I was thinking I would add another shelf in the laundry area to give you (make sure you say "you" this is all about her, not you) some more storage.  And what do think about eventually adding some "cabinets" (use the word cabinets....this word to most women is like using the words diamonds and gold) to give you even more shelves and concealed storage.  Now just start working on it quickly because if you give her too much time to think she will start getting suspicious, when she starts to get that "question mark" and raised eyebrow look in her eyes, put her to work quickly by pointing out things in the closet and asking "what about this can we get rid of it?".  

Then....get it done.  When it's all over....stand back and look at things with her as she is praising and thanking you say "wow...look at all the space leftover".  Again, you need to offer something she wants first, this would be a great place for the I-games "Money Storm" you've been talking about.  She will accept it on the spot, make it happen, and then you have space for 5 more machines that will be approved without question.  :5-

Good luck.

This tape will self-destruct in 10 seconds to protect the innocent  Guilty.
9, 8, 7, 6, 5,       :118-

a plan..... a simple plan.......

 :72- :72- :72- :72- :72- :72-

 :79-

Spoken like a true bachelor... :97- :97- :97- :97- :97- :97- :97-

lol....all these suggestions are great and hilarious at the same time!!...
grounds for divorce at my home.... :30- :8- :37-     :72-

Why haven't we started a board dedicated to husbands sharing tips on how to handle - manipulate - ah, lovingly persuade their wives to support their never-ending need to hunt and gather gadgets requiring disassembly or tinkering?  :128- :14- :5-

Women share tips on psychologically manipulating convincing their husbands to do things that they want; it's time that we he-men do the same. :96-
:119- :97- :97- :97- :97- :97- :97- :97- :97-

No need for that thread, I know my wife is intelligent, beautiful and also supportive of my slot "obsession", oh yea, she also reads my posts now and then.   :88-

Thanks,
Wayne

 :97-  :72-  :97-  :72-  :97-

I'm NOT touching that with a ten-foot pole!......... :96-

OK  - - After much  uhh negotiations   :5-
 -  I presented the ideas here and this is what we have decided.  I'll post the before pictures now and the finished pictures when I'm done.

the rest

the last 2

What happened to the golf clubs?  I was getting use to them.

They were replaced by the pink stroller.  :96-
Dibs on the cookware, the stuffed dog, the cooler, and the Cheerios.  :109-  I'm guessing that you'll be keeping the pop corn.  :126-

I still think your best to use the wall with the movie screen.
Just get one of the electric ones that comes down from the celiling.

I tried -  but I still run into the same situation - the slots along that wall would interfere with pool table.  The room is just not big enough.


Now for the real question .. Someone should know were I got that dog and its name.

Jay    Don't tell any one I said this, but JD has as much junk as I do !!   Well all most as much,  but I've been at it longer  :5- :5- :5- Give me about a hour and I'm off to the BB Q I am going to pull a spare tire off one of the other boat trailers. Should have the boat wet by noon and if can find a fast Doctor, cast on Joey by Two   :30- :30-

Munch   Is this for a T shirt??  dogs name is Slots and came from the dog pound. 

 :92-  Good try but nope ! 

I'm looking for the dogs name and where I got him.  I have about 6 of them floating around someplace.    And it's not Vegas... Ahh I remember going to the Riveria a dozen times a day to get the free decks of cards. 

And to see Crazy Girls.

I'm going to take an educated guess....  :127-

The stuffed dogs' name might be "Diamond"  :128-
of course referring to the infamous IGT "Double Diamond" line of machines and
you won them last summer throwing those little basketballs into a basket
playing midway amusement games while visiting "Playland" parkway in Westchester, Connecticut?...  :71-

Good story but there's a good likely chance that I missed the nail.... :72-

Boy nothing gets by me,  I thought jd was talking about the pic. of the real dog he has up !!!

lol...Buzz,Buzz,Buzz.... :30-


oh well,

Hey JDK! I have the answer for you!


Get a bigger house!!!! :96-

There good guesses but incorrect!

LOL  I'll work on it.    -  I would have a 50 x 50 room dedicated to slots.

After much work.......

more

1 more

last 2

Munch   First  game room looks GREAT  second  why does your wife have a punching bag? She has a bag and you have running shoes, humm .  third Where did you hide all the junk ? If someone came in and opened he doors of your machines would he find soap powder, spray paint and Cheerios ?? :79- :79- :79-

Wow! You did all that over the holiday weekend?!  :131- :131-  :3- :3- :3- :3- It looks 100 times better. :89- :71-

Thanks Buzz!   The first thing I did was get rid of all of the stuff I didn't need.  I replaced that old tv with a flatscreen on the wall.  All my tools went into the garage.  Then I got two more matching cabinets for the hallway.  There our pantry storage.   The last thing was under the slots-  Some of the junk on the shelves was for different holidays -  so we organized and put into tubs that fit under the machines.  

Now I have to light up Garfield and my wife would like a glitzy sign for in between the wms and bally slot.

All that's left is for me to dream of a Reel Touch

Thanks!  My wife is letting me get a new slot so she has me hopping!!

Better the bag than Jonathan...

Look great, funny what we can do with the right motivation..

Thanks for sharing.


W

It does look like you've driven your wife to drink  :96-, hey I have a bottle of wine in the fridge, I think I'll pour a glass :171-

Thanks,
Wayne

Wow new tv and new slot on the horizon plus the wife is cool with it...
you da man munch. Congrats nice job on the room looks like you might fit a few more slots too
Then you might be saying to the wife last one I promise.

I think you did a wonderful job with that basement! :3-
The hallway...you've completely transformed it and the machines look great! :89-
Awesome job!
Did you lay down the wood flooring too?
it looks really good...even the misses looks comfy now...lol

nice job munch....huge improvement and I bet your wife...although reluctant at first...is pretty thrilled with everything at this point.  I bet you both spend all your free time hanging out down there now.

Here is the glitzy sign she is looking for...what ya think?

I think that would be GREAT -  It would be lined up as you walk down the stairs and give a nice entrance!

We were thinking of trying to make our own - Like

Welcome to Our Casino
Where the only thing you'll loose
is your mind!

However, coming up with the idea and realizing it are two totally different things.  :30-

Thanks Mark - Yes I put the floor down Saturday and haven't stopped since.  Jim was right -  Kerry was reluctant at first but now she loves it.  And now I see with my stools set up to play the hallway just wouldn't have been enough space.

Excellent Work JD!  :3-
Just goes to show there's more than one way to "skin a cat"